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lack of use stopped my computer in 5 minutes- I was using it!

15 years ago

A box popped up- saying my computer would shut down in 5 minutes dur to lack of use. Did I want to extend the time? I was actually on the computer for quite awhile when this happened- what's up??

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Comments (12)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
are you on dial-up? it sounds like your ISP is trying to cut you off, so not your actual computer shutting off but your internet connection shutting off. Dial-up used to do that all the time, I have not had dial up in so many years I don't know if it still does that or not, there were settings to change it so that it would not do that.
give us some info on what type of connection you have and what windows version you are using and what browser?
ilmbg
Original Author
15 years ago
No- I have satellite, I was using windows xp, internet explorer. This has never happened before. Need anything more- I am not sure of 'which is which', as far as version/browser.
Thank you.
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bpgreen
15 years ago
If this comes up again, can you give us the exact wording of the message that you got? If you can also tell us exactly what you were doing at the time it might help.

If it's telling you the connection will shut down, it's entirely possible that even though you were "doing something" at the time, if you had been reading a news article or something, although you were doing something from your perspective, you weren't doing anything from the standpoint of the internet connection. When you view a web page, you download the page and the connection closes. It doesn't open again until you click a link, send an email, etc.

One thing you can do to keep the connection alive is to set your email program to check for new mail more often. Each time it checks, that's activity and resets the time.
genes
15 years ago
I wonder what you power settings are in Control Panel.
Check and see, they may be set for turn off monitor, harddrive etc in 10 mins. Reset these to 30 mins or even never
zep516
15 years ago
"exact wording of the message that you got?"

Real important above.

Never seen windows generate an error like that.....
owbist
15 years ago
The last time I ever bothered to read about satellite internet I thought it said you can only download from it but uploaded via dialup. If this is still the case perhaps that is why the message is generated.
hydroflame
15 years ago
This is definitely not a ISP issue, it is impossible for them to turn off your computer. Maybe you have an adware or virus?
bpgreen
15 years ago
"This is definitely not a ISP issue, it is impossible for them to turn off your computer. Maybe you have an adware or virus? "

That's part of why I'd like to see the exact wording of the message. I suspect that the message did not say the computer was going to be turned off but that the conenction was going to be ended and it was misinterpreted.
mikie_gw
15 years ago
Think its probably the way the reboot message is configured for autoUpdate. I see that sometimes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Config Automatic Updates
ilmbg
Original Author
15 years ago
All of you- Thanks- I don't remember exactly what I was doing, but I THINK I was actually 'clicking on stuff', but maybe I was reading. It was the first time that it has ever come up, and I have read longer times before.... I will write the exact wording down if it ever happens again. I am not set to sleep until muchlonger. I'll try to look- I go to start/control panel to look, correct?
I get scanned everyday, but maybe 'something' was there.
Thanks- I'll keep an eye open...
grandms
15 years ago
Owbist, that is no longer the case with satellite Internet. It is two way just like any other ISP.
owbist
15 years ago
Grandms, thanks for putting me right I appreciate that. I'll try to remember that for future queries.

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